ROMANTIC CAREER OF DEAD PEERESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 50, 27 February 1909, Page 15

ROMANTIC CAREER OF DEAD PEERESS.

LILT. DUCHESS OF MARLBOTtOUQH, WEO WAS THREE TIMES "WED. At her beautiful residence at Deepdene, Surrey, there died ou Monday, January 11, Lily, Duchess of Mnrlboroujrh, after «n Illness extending over « twelve-montn. The dead peeress had a romantic career. She wns the daughter of an American naval officer, and her flrst matrimonial experiment was made in 1870, when she wedded a young New York financier, named I-lammersley, who four years Inter Inherited a vast fortune from his father. He did not live long to enjoy it, for only four months had passed ere Mrs. Hammersley was a widow with a life Interest in a million and a-qnarter sterling. Mrs. Uammersley had a legal fight over the will, according to which the money was to be distributed among charities unless an heir was born to the legatee's cousin. The lady won. After being a widow for four years, Mrs. Hammersley marled the Duke of Manborough, and thus became practically the first American woman to take a prominent place in English society. It was not the duke's first experience in matrimony, for when he was Marquis of Blandford he had been divorced by his wife, the Duke of Abercorn's sister. The marriage wag of great advantage to the duke, for rt enabled him to undertake much needed improvement at Blenheim. This union, curiously enough, lasted just as long as did the duchess' flrst marriage, and at the end of four years the lady was again a widow. After three years of single blessedness the duchess essayed a third jnatrimonial engagement, marrying in 1805 Lard Willisun Beresford. Again the duchess' married life was doomed to be short, for Lord William died In 1900. There was Issue of only one of the duchess' three marriages—'William Beresford, who is now 'twelve years of ape, and will Inherit Ms mother's great fortune. Tho ninth Duke of Morlborongh followed his father's example Hnd married an Aanerloau, MUs Consuelo Vanderbllt, and niter Lord Beresford's death he wns uuGcesstntly sued by his stepmother for her jointure of £1800 a year from the Blenheim est#ie.

The late dunhaw left tutrtractloua 'that her remains were to he cremated.